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12 THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAUCASUS
at heart more a man of science than a man of letters. He
writes to his wife in 1863: 'I would rather float with so many
other's down the stream of oblivion than run any risk of loading
the vessel of science with useless ballast, in the place of accu-
rately verified observations. What is the value of showy maps
and pretty drawings which only serve to stereotype errors which
posterity will be called on laboriously to set right?' Dr. Abich
carried this resolution into practice. Writing to his relations
during a visit to London, he informs them that Mr. Murray was
him '
prepared to guarantee several thousand
'
pounds for the
translation of a work on the Caucasus. But even this belief
failed to spur him to produce such a volume. He delayed till
his last years publishing the results of his wanderings, and then
issued only the observations made in the Armenian Highlands.
At his death in 1886 his geological map of the Caucasus re-
mained an unfulfilled project, and the fruits of his travels in the
main chain are to be found only in a few scattered pamphlets.
Dr. Radde, a North Gei'man by birth, has, both by his continuous
travels and b}' his energy in organising the Caucasian Museum at
Tiflis, of which he is still the Curator, done more than any man
living to spread abroad a sound knowledge of the country he has
made his home. A distinguished botanist and an indefatigable
traveller, he has turned his attention to many branches of re-
search, and recorded his observations in several volumes as well as
in numerous contributions to Petermann's Mittcilungcn. A lifetime
devoted to the intelligent observation of obscure regions may be
more valuable to science than a single brilliant exploration, and
the honours Dr. Radde has received in this country and else-
where have been fully earned. He has done all that was possible
for a man without ice-craft. Had he succeeded in breaking the
charm that guards the secrets of the snow-woi'ld, had he created
a school of glacier guides among the native hunters, he might
have made himself the De Saussure of the Caucasus. As it
is, although his work will ever be held in high estimation by
sei'ious students, he will leave behind him a scientific reputation
rather than a populai" name.